When flavorful fresh tomatoes aren't available, their ripe tomato passata is here to step in. Much more than your everyday tomato puree, passata is made with fresh tomatoes instead of cooked, giving it an elegant lightness of flavor and texture. It's as if you had freshly grated, peak-of-summer tomatoes at your fingertips all year round. Passata is one of the building blocks of the Italian pantry — rather than premade sauces or sickly-sweet purees, Italian home cooks rely on passata for quick pasta sauces, soups, and braises. With a can of passata on hand, you're never far from a delicious meal that sings with pure tomato flavor.